Egg carton



Dec. 27, 1927.

E. w. KOESER EGG CARTON Filed 00 l. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l W 3 AZiar aqgaDec. 27, 1927.

E. w. KOESER EGG CARTON Filed Oct. 1, 1924 2 SheetsSheet 2 I 12%?72707".ZZarZ &/zZ//a77z ifaas'erf atented Dec. 27, 1927.

' NITE- STATES EARL new KOESER, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

EGG CARTON.

,pplication filed October 1, 1924. Ho. 740,89li.

.lliy inventionrelates to improvements in egg cartons, particularly ofthe type'constrncted from paper board and used coin-- znercially inpackaging eggs by the dozen.

An object of my invention is to provide an egg carton of the instantnature adapted to be economically constructed and to bequickly andeasily expanded, filled with eggs and closed, said carton, when closed,affording a strong and durable container capable of resisting relativelystrong forces acting to crush it.

Another objectofthe invention is to provide a novel cover for a cartonhaving a folding body and folding cells therein adapted, when open, toreinforce the body,'said cover being part of the blank from which thebody is formed and designed not only to close the carton, but to lockthe cells in body reinforcing relation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear in thefollowing description, the invention resides in the novel combinationand arrangementbf parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

in the drawings, Fig. l is a perspective View of a carton embodying myinvention,

portions oi the cover flaps being broken away to disclose a part of theegg cell structure within the carton; Fig. 2 is a similar Viewillustrating one of the cover flaps partly raised and showing,particularly, the cover securing and cell locking tabs on said flap; hi3 is a perspective view of the carton co apsed and Figs. 4: and 5 aredetail sectional views taken, respectively, on the lines 4-4: and 55 ofFig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the carton comprises anelongated, open ended shell for encasing two rows of eggs cells 9. Theshell is formed from an oblong blank scoredtransversely on parallellines to form body portions, viz; sides 10 and a bottom 11 having amedial longitudinal line or" fold 13: therein; The ends of the blankcomprise complementary cover flaps 12*, 12 forming the cover of theshell. The cells 9 within the shell, each' comprise a strip of paperboard overlapped at its ends and gurnrned, said strip being scored onfour equidistant transverse lines to provide a foursided cell foldablediagonally into compact form. lhere are six mutually abutting cells ineach row or series, one side of each cell of each series being secured,to one of flap 12 in a curving sweep te rd,

the sides 10. Said cells or" the two series are arranged in opposition,the adjacent or meeting sides of the opposing cells being together inpairs over the medial line 11 of fold in the bottom ll. constructed, thebottom 11 and sides 10 may be folded upon themselves (Fig. 3) with the 9folded between them, or may be expanded (Figs. 1 and 2) with said cells9 extended. In extended right angular form, the 9' supply a. substantialreinforceinent fior body of the shell and also for the cover, whichsecures said cells in extended relation, as will now be explained. v

The flap l2, constituting one oi the complementary members of the cover,is formed near its ends with substantially transverse slits l3, slitsbeing out in the margin at the free side of the lap- 12 and supplementedat their outer efizrernities with branch slits l3 d rected toward eachother. The-lateral dimension of said flap 12 is limited to the width ofthe row of cells 9 on its respective side of the body, The flap 12"comprising the second complenientary member of the cover snbstantiallytwice as Wide as the flap 22 practically covers the same when Z downupon it (Fig. l}. second a flap l2 has opposed syrnnietri s: therein,one at each end thereof, being out inward-through the of the flap.Noting either one of the slits l i, it will be observed the inner "eachof the slit traverses the flap 12 ata. from the adjacentend thereofequal to inside dimension of an expanded cell said reach of saidslitterrninstes of the flap l2 and that from the outer entremity of saidreach, the vzbends through the'rnargin at the free side of falling shortof the end of said in this manner the slits l4 nroiide tabs 15 an (AlSill Gil

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encyto resist movement into fully expanded right angular relation wouldrequire a user to shift and hold the cells 9 insuch relation during theinsertion of thetabs 17 thereinto, were it not for the inclination givento the inner edges of said tabs in the cutting of the curved reaches ofthe slits 14; Thus formed, however, the tab 17,

over the leading end cell projecting from the casing, is readilyinserted into said cell and upon depressionretracts said cell into rightangular position within the casing,

pndcr cam-like coaction of the inclined edge of said tab with theadjacent wall of said cell. Such retraction of the leading cell resultsin squaring the remaining cells, whereupon the second cell locking tabmay be readily inserted in its place. With the cells 9 locked fromopposite ends of the series against folding in either direction, theentire shell is elfectivel reinforced against crushing by reason 0 thebracing characteristics of said cells.

From the foregoing, the dual result attended with the peculiar cuttingof the slits 14: will be'understoodn It will also be appreciated thatthe present carton is cut to no waste whatever and that in addition tobeing adapted for folding into com-' pact confines, the carton, whenexpanded and locked, supplies a sturdy and protective package for eggsdespite the light and inexpensive material of which it is constructed, t

Changes in the specific form of my invention, as herein disclosed, maybe made within. the scopeof what is claimed without departing from thespirit of my invention.

Havmg described my invention, What I claima's new and desire to protectby Letters Patent is: I

1. In a carton of the class described, an 0 en ended shell consisting ofa blank folda le on parallel lines to form a body portion, mediallyfoldable, and sides, also to form opposed complementary cover 'fiaps forthe body, a series of mutually abutting cells secured to either sideportion of the body, each cell of one series meeting and connected withthe opposing cell of the other series over the medial line of fold ofsaid bottom, said cells being foldable endwise of the body from expandedshell reinforcing relation to permit of the folding of said body and thecollapsing of the carton, one of .said cover flaps having trans-' otherflap 7 having corresponding marginal slits cut therein and forming coversecuring tabs adapted to enter the slits in said first flap, also celllocking tabs adapted to be turned down into open-termina1 cells withinthe body.

2. In a carton of the class described, a

shell consisting of abody, foldable upon"itself, and opposedcomplementarly s within the body foldable endwise thereoffrom, expand--cover flaps on the body, a series of egg cel ed shell reinforcingrelation to permit of the folding of the body and the collapsing of thecarton, one ofsaid flaps. having a slit therein near the end of the'bodyoccupied by the 'leadingcell of the'series, the other flap having a slitin the margin thereof and forming a cover securin tab for insertion intothe slit in said first flap, also a cell locking tab adapted to beturned down into said leading cell. v

3. In a carton of the class described, a

shell consisting of abody, foldable upon itself, and a cover flap, aseries of mutually abutting egg cells within the body foldabletoward'one end of said body from expanded shell reinforcing relation topermit of the folding of'the body and the collapsing of the carton, saidcover fiap being formed with a foldable tab thereon providing anabutment for the leading cell of the series, said tab being adapted tolock said cell and the remaining cells of the series against folding. v

4. In a carton of the class described, a shell consisting. of a body,foldable upon itself, and a cover flap, a seriesof mutually abutting eggcells within the body foldable endwise thereof from expanded shell'reinforcing relation to permit of the folding of said body and thecollapsing of the carton,

said cover flap being formed with two foldable tabs thereon, onefor-each terminal cell, each tab providing an abutment for itsrespective cell to lock the same against foldin o. In a carton of theclass described, a shell consisting of a body, foldable upon" itself,and a cover flap, a series of mutually abutting egg cells within thebody foldable endwise thereof from expanded shell reinforcing relationto permit of the folding of said body and the collapsing of the carton,

said cover flap being formed with a foldable tab thereon providing anabutment for one of the cells adapted to lock said cell against folding.I

6. In a carton of the class described, a shell consisting of a body,foldable upon itself, and a cover flap, a series of mutually abuttingegg cells within the body foldable from expanded shell reinforcingrelation to permit of the folding of said body and the collapsing of thecarton, and releasable means providing for interlocking coaction betweencover flap and cells to secure the latter against folding.

7. In a carton of the class described, a collapsible shell comprising abody foldable upon itself, sides connected with said body and a coverflap hingedly connected to one of said sides, partitions extendingacross said sides to provide egg cells, said partitions being foldableintermediate the ends thereof, means secured to said cover flap forengaging one of said partitions along the line of fold thereof to holdthe egg cells in extended position, and means for securing said flap inclosing position.

8. In a carton of the class described, a collapsible shell comprising abody foldable upon itself, sides connected with said body and a coverflap hingedly connected to one of said side's, partitions extendingacross said sides toprovide egg cells, said parti- 'tions being foldableintermediate the ends thereof," a depending tab formedon said cover flapadapted to extend in between two of said partitions and to bring theedges thereof into engagement with one of said partitions along the lineof fold thereof, and means for securing saidcover flap in closedposition.

9. In a carton of the class described, a collapsible shell comprising abody foldable upon itself, sides connected with said body and a coverflap hingedly connected to one of said sides, partitions extendingacross said sides to provide egg cells, said partitions being foldableintermediate the ends thereof, a tab formed on said cover flap extendinin between two of said partitions, said ta being arranged at rightangles thereto and engaging one of said partitions alon its lineof fold.

.10. In a carton of the class described, a collapsible shell comprisinga body portion foldable upon itself, sides connected with said bodyportion and a cover flap hingedly connected to one of said sides,partitions extending across said sides to rovide egg cells, saidpartitions being folda le intermediate the ends thereof, meansconnecting said partitions at their lines of fold to cause the same tofold simultaneously in the same direction, means secured to said coverflap for engagement with one of said partitions along the line of foldthereof to hold the egg cells in extended position, and means forsecuring said flap in closed position,

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

